Sleight

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

Sleight, n. [OE. sleighte, sleihte, sleithe, Icel. slg (for slg) slyness, cunning, fr. slgr (for slgr) sly, cunning. See Sly.].

•  Cunning; craft; artful practice.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  An artful trick; sly artifice; a feat so dexterous that the manner of performance escapes observation.  [1913 Webster]

  "The world hath many subtle sleights."  [1913 Webster]
•  Dexterous practice; dexterity; skill.  Hudibras.  [1913 Webster]

Sleight of hand, legerdemain; prestidigitation.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Sleight, n. archaic 1 a deceptive trick or device or movement.
2 dexterity.
3 cunning.

Idiom

sleight of hand
1 dexterity esp. in conjuring or fencing.
2 a display of dexterity, esp. a conjuring trick.

Etymology

ME sleghth f. ON sloegth f. sloegr SLY

THESAURUS

Sleight

adroitness, art, artful dodge, artifice, bag of tricks, blind, bluff, bosey, catch, chicane, chicanery, chouse, collusion, connivance, connivery, conspiracy, contrivance, coup, covin, craft, curve, curve-ball, cute trick, deceit, deftness, design, device, dexterity, dexterousness, dirty deal, dirty trick, dodge, dodgery, expedient, fakement, fast deal, feint, fetch, ficelle, foul play, gambit, game, gimmick, googly, grift, hocus-pocus, intrigue, joker, juggle, jugglery, knavery, little game, machination, maneuver, move, pass, pettifoggery, pettifogging, play, plot, ploy, prowess, racket, readiness, red herring, ruse, scheme, scurvy trick, sharp practice, shift, skill, skulduggery, sleight of hand, sleight-of-hand trick, stratagem, strategy, subterfuge, supercherie, tactic, trick, trickery, underhand dealing, wile, wily device

ROGET THESAURUS

Sleight

Skill

N skill, skillfulness, address, dexterity, dexterousness, adroitness, expertness, proficiency, competence, technical competence, craft, callidity, facility, knack, trick, sleight, mastery, mastership, excellence, panurgy, ambidexterity, ambidextrousness, sleight of hand, seamanship, airmanship, marksmanship, horsemanship, rope-dancing, accomplishment, acquirement, attainment, art, science, technicality, technology, practical knowledge, technical knowledge, knowledge of the world, world wisdom, savoir faire, tact, mother wit, discretion, finesse, craftiness, management, self-help, cleverness, talent, ability, ingenuity, capacity, parts, talents, faculty, endowment, forte, turn, gift, genius, intelligence, sharpness, readiness, invention, aptness, aptitude, turn for, capacity for, genius for, felicity, capability, curiosa felicitas, qualification, habilitation, proficient, masterpiece, coup de maitre, chef d'euvre, tour de force, good stroke, skillful, dexterous, adroit, expert, apt, handy, quick, deft, ready, gain, slick, smart, proficient, good at, up to, at home in, master of, a good hand at, au fait, thoroughbred, masterly, crack, accomplished, conversant, experienced, practiced, skilled, hackneyed, up in, well up in, in practice, in proper cue, competent, efficient, qualified, capable, fitted, fit for, up to the mark, trained, initiated, prepared, primed, finished, clever, cute, able, ingenious, felicitous, gifted, talented, endowed, inventive, shrewd, sharp, on the ball, cunning, alive to, up to snuff, not to be caught with chaff, discreet, neat-handed, fine-fingered, nimble-fingered, ambidextrous, sure- footed, cut out for, fitted for, technical, artistic, scientific, daedalian, shipshape, workman- like, business-like, statesman-like, skillfully, well, artistically, with skill, with consummate skill, secundum artem, suo Marte, to the best of one's abilities, ars celare artem, artes honorabit, celui qui veut celui-la peut, c'est une grande habilite que de savoir cacher son, expertus metuit, es bildet ein Talent sich in der Stille sich ein C, heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute, if you have lemons, make lemonade.